Peace Order-Chapter 1644 - 41: Prince Qin in the Eye of Money

"It’s winter, prepare basic food supplies."

"Yes, distribute milk, eggs, and so on to each household and individual."

Prince Qin picked up the post representing tens of millions of silver, scattered it casually, and those posts fluttered like snowflakes in winter, with his sleeve rolling up. The young king said, "Taken from the people, used for the people."

"They take from the people, we repay on their behalf."

"These scholars and sages, in this world, seek nothing more."

Yan Daiqing’s expression was gentle, he saluted and said:

"Yes."

Those posts scattered like snowflakes, a portion of this tens of millions of silver used for military expenses, another portion became reserved for storage of gold and silver, and another portion improved citizens’ welfare and education. Mr. Yan Daiqing didn’t immediately use the silver as a subsidy.

Instead, he used this silver as a flow to stimulate commerce throughout Prince Qin’s domain, employing caravans to transport beef jerky, wool, and other goods from the northwest to the south, and from the south, books and vegetables were delivered to the north.

In the process of stimulating commerce, the standard of living for the people improved.

It was not merely handing money to them.

The holiday season had passed, the tensions in Xiyi City were momentarily in a state of subtle equilibrium. Although there appeared to be calm on the surface, Chen Country and Ying Country were stockpiling military forces in the area, and the nation’s taxation had intensified once again.

Underneath the outward calm, it felt distinctly like a volcano on the verge of erupting, within the peace, there was a faint sense of uneasiness.

Snow fell again in Jiangnan, officials from various places had started discussing how to conduct Prince Qin’s coming-of-age ceremony a month or two ago. On this day, outside this place, an old man hurriedly arrived, looking simple, yet carrying a large bag.

His clothes were worn-out, his shoes somewhat damaged. Holding a dry cake, his eyes were bright, eating the cake in a few bites, looking at the venue where dignitaries came and went, he gathered the courage to go up.

"Excuse me, young man?"

The old man spoke, addressing a young man of about twenty, dressed in simple clothes, who was looking up at the sky. The latter turned and smiled, "Ah, Uncle, what’s the matter?"

"Young man, is this where the coming-of-age ceremony for Prince Qin is held?"

The young man raised his eyebrows, looked at the old man and said: "Yes, Uncle, you are...?"

The old man scratched his head, somewhat awkwardly said: "I’m from Youguo Village, over seven hundred miles away. The villagers heard that Prince Qin is having his coming-of-age ceremony, so they pooled money for me to come and see. We’ve been doing well these past few years, just thought that we should come here to have a look."

He rubbed his large hands, looking at the plaque, watching people come and go, saying: "What does this writing say?"

"Heard it’s a gift? We pooled together, not sure if it’s enough."

The young man looked at the bundle the old man was carrying and said: "How much did you collect?"

The old man grinned, taking the bundle down, weighing it in his hand, it was heavy and rattling, opening it to reveal copper coins inside, the old man’s eyes shined and said:

"Each of our families contributed a little, just like giving copper coins during weddings and marriages, this is what we pooled, just came to have a look."

"Not sure if it’s enough, this place, the city might be different."

The old man heard the sneers from officials coming and going, seemed to realize what he offered might not be enough, his face flushed, he awkwardly held the bundle, standing on the street of the Great Capital City, not knowing what to do.

"If not enough, we can pool some more."

"No, it’s enough."

The young man looked serenely at the bundle, chuckled lightly and said: "It’s more than enough." He reached out, picked up a copper coin from the bundle, placed it in his palm, outside round and inside square of the copper coin, the young man closed his five fingers: 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"I indeed received your gift."

"Such a heavy gift."

The young man revealed a gentle smile within the old man’s incredulous, stunned gaze and said:

"Thank you very much."